Patch Management

A patch is an additional piece of software code designed to fix problems with, or update a computer program or its supporting data. This includes fixing security vulnerabilities, flaws and other bugs, and improving usability or performance, and often enabling additional functionality.

The rise of widespread worms and malicious code targeting known vulnerabilities on unpatched systems, and the resultant downtime and expense they bring, is a key reason why organisations are focusing on patch management.

"Over 90% of security exploits are carried out through vulnerabilities for which there are known patches." Source: Gartner Group